---
license: odc-by
pretty_name: "Bitcoin and Litecoin transaction lifecycle observations"
tags:
  - mempool
  - bitcoin
  - litecoin
  - unconfirmed-transactions
  - transaction-fees
  - blockchain
  - cryptocurrency
  - time-series
task_categories:
  - time-series-forecasting
size_categories:
  - 1M<n<10M
configs:
- config_name: bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle
  data_files:
  - split: train
    path: bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle/**/*.parquet
  default: true
- config_name: bitcoin_mempool_comparison
  data_files:
  - split: train
    path: bitcoin_mempool_comparison/**/*.parquet
- config_name: litecoin_transaction_lifecycle
  data_files:
  - split: train
    path: litecoin_transaction_lifecycle/**/*.parquet
- config_name: bitcoin_block_composition
  data_files:
  - split: train
    path: bitcoin_block_composition/**/*.parquet
- config_name: collection_runs
  data_files:
  - split: train
    path: collection_runs/**/*.parquet
---

# Bitcoin and Litecoin mempool lifecycle

Transaction observations covering first sight, time spent pending, confirmation and disappearance from monitored mempools. The repository also contains comparisons between Bitcoin provider views and a measure of how much of each block was visible before it arrived.

## Contents

| Table | Record |
|---|---|
| `bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle` | A Bitcoin transaction's observed lifecycle, fee information and outcome |
| `bitcoin_mempool_comparison` | A provider's pending-set size and overlap with other views |
| `litecoin_transaction_lifecycle` | A Litecoin transaction lifecycle observation |
| `bitcoin_block_composition` | A block's previously observed and newly seen transaction counts |

## Observation coverage

`pre_existing` identifies transactions already pending when a collection window opened. Their first-seen times do not establish when they originally entered the network.

`fee_rate_sat_vb` is populated only where a fee was obtained. Coverage changed substantially during the initial collection period, especially on 2026-08-28. Measure the non-null share within each partition and outcome group before conducting fee-based analysis. A missing fee does not by itself invalidate the other lifecycle fields.

Bitcoin dropped-transaction records begin on 2026-08-26. An earlier collection defect prevented this classification, so the absence of drops before that date is not evidence that none occurred.

## Outcomes and package fields

`dropped` requires the collector's absence checks and debounce period. `unresolved` records a disappearance whose outcome could not be established. These labels describe observations within a collection window; a transaction may later reappear or confirm. Litecoin uses a single-provider view, so it has less cross-checking than Bitcoin.

`effective_fee_rate_sat_vb` is `ancestor_fees_sat / ancestor_vsize`. Ancestor and descendant fields describe package structure when recorded, which can change as related transactions confirm. This ratio is useful context for fee analysis, but it is not a guarantee of miner selection.

## Block composition and limitations

The block-composition table excludes the coinbase and counts transactions the collector had already observed pending. Transactions first seen in a block may reflect private submission, missed polls or gaps in provider visibility. The unseen share is an upper-bound proxy for private submission, not a direct measurement.

Use `polls_so_far`, `poll_failures` and `pool_size_at_block` to assess that comparison. Mempools differ between nodes, and timestamps include polling and network delays. Zero fee rates can be valid observations; distinguish them from nulls.

## Files and access

Data is stored as Parquet files under `table_name/YYYY/MM/`, with partitions for collection windows. Each measurement table has a fixed 7-day sample beginning at its configured collection start date. The sample windows in this repository span 2026-08-25 to 2026-09-05. Availability within each window depends on successful collection. The public sample dates remain fixed as additional history accumulates privately. Contact DataForge through the discussions tab to enquire about additional history.

### Load a table

Install `datasets` and `pandas` to run this example. The `train` split contains all observations in the selected table; it is not a predefined modelling split.

```python
from datasets import load_dataset

data = load_dataset("dataforge-labs/bitcoin-mempool-lifecycle",
                    "bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle", split="train")
df = data.to_pandas()
```

## Coverage

`collection_runs` records collection windows, poll counts and failures. It is published in full and may cover dates beyond the fixed data sample. Collection gaps are not interpolated. Use this table together with measurement timestamps and error fields to assess coverage.

## License and contact

The public sample is published under ODC-BY. Attribute it to "DataForge (dataforge-labs)". For questions about the data or access to additional history, open a discussion in this repository.

<details>
<summary>Earlier file paths</summary>

Each table is stored under a directory with the same descriptive name. The file contents and date partitions are unchanged. Scripts using an earlier directory name should use the corresponding table name below, or pin downloads to revision `before-folder-rename-20260915` to access the original layout. Internal collector IDs are retained in the private archive and may appear in raw coverage records.

| Current table and directory | Earlier directory |
|---|---|
| `bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle` | `e8_btc_mempool_lifecycle/` |
| `bitcoin_mempool_comparison` | `e9_btc_mempool_divergence/` |
| `litecoin_transaction_lifecycle` | `e11_ltc_mempool_lifecycle/` |
| `bitcoin_block_composition` | `e8_btc_block_composition/` |
| `collection_runs` | `e0_run_manifest/` |

</details>